May 15th is the Day of Pentecost
May 15th is the Day of Pentecost, sometimes referred to as the birthday of the Christian church, because that is the day when the disciples finally began to openly proclaim the gospels and large numbers of people started to become Christians or “followers of the way". The Holy Spirit fell upon Jesus 'disciples that day and inspired and empowered them to become dynamic witnesses of the good news about Jesus.
That spiritual power is also available to Christians today to help us live out our faith in ways that will build up the church and build up our own faith.
The Apostle Paul, in his letters, urges us to walk, or live our lives, in the power of the Spirit and not in the power of the flesh, meaning that we should not rely on our own resources, brains and strength to get through life.
God does not want us to muddle through life, finding our own way. God is on a mission to redeem the whole world, and he wants us to play our part.
That can only happen when we are guided by the Holy Spirit. When we allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us, God is able to do great things in the world.
The Holy Spirit gives each Christian one or more gifts which the spirit uses to build up the body of Christ.
The Spirit also creates the fruits of the Spirit in each one of us. The fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are the attributes of life that make life worth living, and God also uses these fruits to bless the lives of those around us.
So let us welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives as we celebrate His coming into the world on that first day of Pentecost nearly two thousand years ago.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tom